TIRANA, March 17 (Reuters) - Albania wants to try again to
privatise its state oil company this year, and will soon begin
offering its blocks for oil and gas exploration, Prime Minister
Edi Rama said on Tuesday.

The previous Democratic Party government, which Rama's
Socialist-led coalition ousted in June 2013, cancelled the sale
two years ago to a private buyer.

"We will end the long-drawn process of the privatisation of
the state-owned Albpetrol company this year," Rama said.

"Since the very first day, it was clear to us Albpetrol was
an anachronism and a hybrid that could not meet the challenges
of the future," he told oil executives.